Two monitors for teaching PC's connected to IWB's

[AJWhite1970]

So... Currently designing the ICT for the 8 new classrooms soon to be open here and I've started thinking that two monitors on the teachers desk is a good idea.

 

Screen 1: VGA from the PC, into a splitter box with one cable going to Screen 1 and the other to the projector

Screen 2: DVI/HDMI from the PC (so can't possibly be displayed on the projector)

 

The theory being that if a teacher was to play a video for example, they can carry on working/taking registers/updating facebook on screen 2 which they can't at the moment with only one screen. We would colour one screen border red (ie live on projector) and one green (ie safe to display)

 

Any one else run two screens in the classroom or is this a really bad idea I need to park now...?

 

Opinions welcome

Andrew

[bald_pig]

So... Currently designing the ICT for the 8 new classrooms soon to be open here and I've started thinking that two monitors on the teachers desk is a good idea.

 

Screen 1: VGA from the PC, into a splitter box with one cable going to Screen 1 and the other to the projector

Screen 2: DVI/HDMI from the PC (so can't possibly be displayed on the projector)

 

The theory being that if a teacher was to play a video for example, they can carry on working/taking registers/updating facebook on screen 2 which they can't at the moment with only one screen. We would colour one screen border red (ie live on projector) and one green (ie safe to display)

 

Any one else run two screens in the classroom or is this a really bad idea I need to park now...?

 

Opinions welcome

Andrew

 

Your IWB might not be happy with it, but other than that I can't think of anything.

[LeMarchand]

Couldn't you achieve much the same with extended desktop?

[AJWhite1970]

Couldn't you achieve much the same with extended desktop?

 

Possibly but I'm just trying to eliminate ways confidential data would hit the projector if they were wired separately.

 

Just brain storming at the moment, the devil and the angel that sit on my shoulders and advise me in arguments might talk me out of it yet...

[localzuk]

Possibly but I'm just trying to eliminate ways confidential data would hit the projector if they were wired separately.

Just brain storming at the moment, the devil and the angel that sit on my shoulders and advise me in arguments might talk me out of it yet...

Both methods would be using extended desktop though - you've just got an extra monitor in the mix is all.

[LeMarchand]

Possibly but I'm just trying to eliminate ways confidential data would hit the projector if they were wired separately.

 

Just brain storming at the moment, the devil and the angel that sit on my shoulders and advise me in arguments might talk me out of it yet...

 

I did think that was why, but if it's a worry I wouldn't trust my staff not to put stuff on the "projected" screen.

 

Both methods would be using extended desktop though - you've just got an extra monitor in the mix is all.

 

I got that, but can't see a strong advantage in having the third screen. Other people may be lucky enough not to have become jaded about the skills of their users...

[AJWhite1970]

I got that, but can't see a strong advantage in having the third screen. Other people may be lucky enough not to have become jaded about the skills of their users...

 

It's mainly for playing videos which a lot of our teachers do and complain it's a waste of their time sat there unable to work while it's on...

[localzuk]

It's mainly for playing videos which a lot of our teachers do and complain it's a waste of their time sat there unable to work while it's on...

But that's the thing - why would you need to split the one monitor signal? That's where the confusion lies here I think. Basically, you only really need one monitor for the PC, and the projector in the other port. You'd can then have a video playing on the projector whilst the other monitor is free to use. Otherwise you just have a duplicate of the projector on your desk too.

[TechMonkey]

But that's the thing - why would you need to split the one monitor signal? That's where the confusion lies here I think. Basically, you only really need one monitor for the PC, and the projector in the other port. You'd can then have a video playing on the projector whilst the other monitor is free to use. Otherwise you just have a duplicate of the projector on your desk too.

 

Probably because staff will complain they can't then see what is on the board from their desk. Part of me thinks this is ingenious but the other part thinks it is too over-engineered and will causes problems. Have at it though and see how it goes, I'd be interested in the results.

 

We are trialing 2 screens, as in the new Interactive boards with a PC module in as a separate device. We allow staff to use a custom VNC shortcut so they can control the board from their desk but generally we have told them to get up or use the wireless mouse and keyboard.

Edited March 22, 2017 by TechMonkey

[Guest MD5T]

Why not use the projector as an extended screen?

[LeMarchand]

It's mainly for playing videos which a lot of our teachers do and complain it's a waste of their time sat there unable to work while it's on...

 

Possibly have 2 shortcuts - to YouTube and VLC (or whatever is likely to be used) that are actually scripts that force extended and push the application to the desktop "extension". Would save on monitors/space/power.

 

(Don't know if this is possible, but it seems as if it should be!)

[MYK-IT]

So... Currently designing the ICT for the 8 new classrooms soon to be open here and I've started thinking that two monitors on the teachers desk is a good idea.

 

Screen 1: VGA from the PC, into a splitter box with one cable going to Screen 1 and the other to the projector

Screen 2: DVI/HDMI from the PC (so can't possibly be displayed on the projector)

 

The theory being that if a teacher was to play a video for example, they can carry on working/taking registers/updating facebook on screen 2 which they can't at the moment with only one screen. We would colour one screen border red (ie live on projector) and one green (ie safe to display)

 

Any one else run two screens in the classroom or is this a really bad idea I need to park now...?

 

Opinions welcome

Andrew

 

Similar setup to what we have had in place for past 5 plus years now... although with newer computers they tend to have 2 display ports and we just use converter adapters for the VGA / Projector. 2nd monitor is DVI/HDMI so can display at much higher resolution. Original reason for this setup was so that confidential stuff or AB Tutor can be on 2nd monitor, and not displayed on projector,

[AJWhite1970]

Just to clarify, all our teacher desks are front facing about 8 foot from the wall and all our teachers sit with their backs to the screens so for example having screen 1 as the projector and screen 2 on the VGA screen on their desk doesn't really work for us.

 

Thanks for all the feedback though, I'm going for a lie down in a dark room and come back to this in the morning...

[AJWhite1970]

Similar setup to what we have had in place for past 5 plus years now... although with newer computers they tend to have 2 display ports and we just use converter adapters for the VGA / Projector. 2nd monitor is DVI/HDMI so can display at much higher resolution. Original reason for this setup was so that confidential stuff or AB Tutor can be on 2nd monitor, and not displayed on projector,

 

See, I haven't totally lost the plot, someone else is doing it

[mikeprice]

I used to have something like this when I was a proper teacher

Never thought of having a splitter on the projector but it sounds like a good idea

I always had Simms and ABtutor on my 'private' screen and Powerpoint or whatever the kids needed to see on the projector - worked great

[CHU]

We use this setup for our remaining UF55's that don't freeze. Works well but often we find the staff have somehow managed to swap the primary screen round so the taskbar is showing on the projector.

 

However our new setup is Clevertouch screen's with a single 1080p monitor (Dell P2217H) on the desk. DP to the Dell, VGA or HDMI to the Clevertouch. (Optiplex 3020/3040).

[Ashfold]

So... Currently designing the ICT for the 8 new classrooms soon to be open here and I've started thinking that two monitors on the teachers desk is a good idea.

 

Screen 1: VGA from the PC, into a splitter box with one cable going to Screen 1 and the other to the projector

Screen 2: DVI/HDMI from the PC (so can't possibly be displayed on the projector)

 

The theory being that if a teacher was to play a video for example, they can carry on working/taking registers/updating facebook on screen 2 which they can't at the moment with only one screen. We would colour one screen border red (ie live on projector) and one green (ie safe to display)

 

Any one else run two screens in the classroom or is this a really bad idea I need to park now...?

 

Opinions welcome

Andrew

 

We do exactly this, one out put to the teachers screen (private screen) and one split to a second Monitor and the IWB/Clevertouch (public screen).

 

I originally just did the private screen and the iwb/cleavertouch for the public but the staff could not get the hand of moving windows between the screen on the desk and the screen on the wall or totally lost program windows because they had not turned the projector on but with the three display set up they love it and even the most nontechnical teacher can use it in seconds.

[ajg]

Yes we went down this route a few years ago and the teachers really like it. As a general rule the teacher screen connects by DVI and then we have a VGA splitter for the second monitor/projector. Our classroom layouts are vary varied so using only the projector as the extended monitor would cause confusion and they would have to look behind them to see what was happening in the projector. We also setup PowerPoint to default to the second screen when in presentation mode.

[Max_Power]

We've had this type of setup for a while now. 2monitors and a projector connected via a Lenovo M700 tiny which has 1x VGA out and 2x display ports which mirror each other via windows 10 settings, no requirement for additional cables or splitters.

Teachers were a little wary of it at first but as time went on the feel it's a positive step as now they can show a PowerPoint on the projector and have sims open privately on the other screen.

Some interactive screens don't like the setup though and simply don't work nor some old legacy software which once opened won't change screen to display on the projector - in particular some old maths software. But teachers aren't bothered which I think shows the interactive nature of screen has never really been used.

[Ashfold]

....

Some interactive screens don't like the setup though and simply don't work nor some old legacy software which once opened won't change screen to display on the projector - in particular some old maths software. But teachers aren't bothered which I think shows the interactive nature of screen has never really been used.

 

Yes we still have these issues especially with infant software that runs full screen and then cant be dragged to the other screen, as far as interactivity goes we have some staff who are brilliant and others who would be better off with a dumb display but it is working out where to put them.

[LeMarchand]

But teachers aren't bothered which I think shows the interactive nature of screen has never really been used.

 

I strongly suspect this too. We could all save a lot of money if only the staff that regularly use the interactive features get suitable equipment.

 

we have some staff who are brilliant and others who would be better off with a dumb display but it is working out where to put them.

 

The staff? Don't tempt me...

[win]

Check the remote control of the projector, almost all will have a button called FREEZE or BLANK which they can and should use themselves.

[Joanne]

Check the remote control of the projector, almost all will have a button called FREEZE or BLANK which they can and should use themselves.

 

No good for a video though.

 

With extended desktop I find that the interactivity is stretched across both screens, so when you touch the left part of the board it clicks on the left screen and when you you press on the right part of the board it clicks on the right screen. Difficult if writing on something. Fine for showing videos though.

[foofighterjim]

I did this at my previous school, for the Geography department. In the main it was ok although some members of the department got it quicker than others. The biggest issue was if other staff got re-roomed to these locations, despite the tutorials they just didn't have much working knowledge of the setup and caused disruption to their lessons. At that point we decide on an all or nothing approach.

[sted]

No good for a video though.

 

With extended desktop I find that the interactivity is stretched across both screens, so when you touch the left part of the board it clicks on the left screen and when you you press on the right part of the board it clicks on the right screen. Difficult if writing on something. Fine for showing videos though.

ive found the interactivity only seems to work on screen 1 so if using extended mode i have to make sure my smartboard is the primary screen if the secondary screen is the smartboard touch diddnt seem to work all